Press Riau's Karhutla Potential, Ministry of Home Affairs Modifies Weather for 9 Days

The TNI AU ranks are preparing to carry out weather modification operations in the Riau region from April 14-22, 2026. ANTARA/HO-Kemenhut

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) has carried out weather modification operations in Riau in an effort to reduce the potential for forest and land fires (karhutla) while optimizing weather conditions to support prevention.

Director of Forest Fire Control of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Thomas Nifinlur, said the Ministry of Home Affairs also contributed to the weather modification operation (OMC) for the next nine days or in the period from April 14-22, 2026 through 14 sorties or flights to increase land humidity through irrigation and filling of ponds and other water reserves.

"The implementation of OMC in Riau by the Ministry of Home Affairs in cooperation with the BMKG and the TNI AU. Until April 15, 2026, 2 sorties of seeding materials have been carried out with a total of 1,600 kg of NaCl, with seeding areas around Siak Regency, Bengkalis Regency, Meranti Islands Regency, and Dumai City," said Thomas in a statement confirmed from Jakarta, Thursday, quoted by Antara.

Thomas explained that Riau is one of the vulnerable areas for forest fires that have entered the dry season early in February 2026. So far, the OMC in Riau has been carried out with the support of the BNPB in three stages and is still being extended since the establishment of the emergency standby status of Riau Province.

The Riau Provincial Government has issued the Riau Governor's Decree Number KTPS 102/11/2026 concerning the Determination of the Emergency Standby Status for Forest and Land Fires in the Riau Province in 2026 starting from February 2 to November 30, 2026.

Thomas said based on the results of calculating the area of the forest fire, the Ministry of Home Affairs recorded the area of the forest fire period January-March 2026, an area of 55,324.2 hectares (ha). The three provinces with the highest fire incidence so far are West Kalimantan with an area of 25,420.73 ha, Riau 8,555.37 ha, and Riau Islands 4,167.78 ha.

Thomas said that in responding to this, the steps to control the forest fire were further intensified, both through prevention and mitigation efforts.

OMC has been part of innovation in permanent karhutla prevention solutions since 2015 where the paradigm in controlling karhutla is focused on the aspect of prevention together with prevention patrols, awareness, public education campaigns and literacy, and the formation of the Fire Care Society.

"Efforts to overcome this are carried out through patrols and aerial operations, as well as land extinguishing operations carried out, among others by Manggala Agni Kemenhut together with other parties in the field," said Thomas.